Actuating mechanism fob calculat



Jan. 2, .1945. BQYDEN ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEY'.

Jan. 2, 1945- R. E. BOYDEN 2,365,431

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. F06 erZ flap/en.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 2, 1945. VR. E. BOYDEN 2,366,431 7 ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1940 4 Sheets-Shet s INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Jan. 2, 1945. R. E. BOYDEN 2,366,431

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed July 15, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 2, 1945 ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR. CALCULAT- ING MACHINES Robert E. Boyden, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to 'Marchant Calculating Machine Company, a corporation of California Application July 15, 1940, Serial No. 345,516

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in calculating machines, and relates particularly to differential actuating mechanism for the accumulator register of such machines.

The present improvements are disclosed as emtuator drive unit, as viewed from the right, showbodied in the commercially known Marchant ing the gears which drive the pinion rods, and calculating machine described in the" Avery patthe means for locking" the parts in alignment; ent application Serial Number 84,927, filed June Figure 6 is a right side view, in detail, of the 12, 1936, and since matured into Patent,2,271,- mechanism for rocking a shaft which controls 240, issued on January 27, 1942, to which refer-' 10 certain locking pawls; ence may be had for a complete disclosure to re-- Figure '7 is aschematic iew showing the relalated mechanisms not specifically disclosed tion of the various units to the driving means; herein; it being noted that reference numerals Figure 8 is a fragmentary schematic view of corresponding to those appearing in said patent the pinion rods showing how the driving sections are applied to all corresponding parts shown but of these pinion rods are staggered to prevent innot specifically described herein. terference; and

In the calculating machine disclosed in the Figure 9 is a right side view, partly in section, aforesaid patent, the value to be entered into of a modified form of the selection mechanism the accumulator is set into the machine by de and differential actu tin me a i pressing selected numeral keys of the keyboard, The machine is provided with a keyboard, deand when the machine begins to operate, the scribed in the aforesaid Avery patent, comprisdifierential actuating mechanism is power set ing keys I00 (Figure 1) which are normally under control of the depressed keys before the maintained in raised position by spring I02. actuating cycle starts. In the machine embody- When any key is depressed, the bottom of its ing the improvements herein disclosed, however, stem I03 moves a bar I20 laterally a given the differential actuating mechanism is directly amount depending upon the value of the key deset by depressing the keyboard keys, thereby pressed. This imparts a proportionate moveellmlnating a g a y p t a Simplifying ment to a stud I63 to which bar I20 is connected, the mechanism Wlthout sacriflcmg. any of the and rocks a segmental lever I32 about a shaft I31. vantagfeous features of b Through a segment I38 and pinion I a check A primary, object the mvFntlon 15 provl dial I40 is thus rotated about its shaft I4 I theref f i g g i mifchafusm for by indicating the value of the key depressed.

m which makes possible the elimination of a sub 35 each decimal order of the machine gnd on a stantial number of parts formerly deemed-essenrearwardly extending arm -thereof 18 fol-med tial. a secoladf gear segmetn:1 I2, whlltlthf m'e4she1s'I Win: a

. gear reeymoune onas at cune i: 3' g2;zgg fgfifigg gg ggggggg Egg: for rotation with each gear I3 is a selection sec chines of the class described, which may be ditor on which mounted gear rectly Set by the depression of the keys of the l6,so that when the segmental lever I32 15 rocked keyboard, but which will retain the important cquntei'cmkwlse the gear and rock advantageous features of the mechanism upon clockwise about shaft I4 until gear I6 is aligned which it is an improvement. 4 with one of a series of transversely disposed pin- A more specific object of the invention is the 5 Ion rods I to provision of a key set differential actuating AS Shown n ure 1, the pinion rods to 9 mechanism of the class described which may be are in their normal position out of the path of set by the keys with a minimum of effort on the movement of gear so that if the number part of th w I key I00 is depressed, th gear I 8 will be aligned Other objects will appear during the followwith the pinion rod I; depression Of the number ing detailed description of a preferred form of y Will align r with Pinion and the invention, reference being made to the ac- 0 0 D to e number key which, when companying drawings forming a part of this p ed, a igns gear IS with the pin n rOd specification in which: 9, Thus, the selecting'mechanism sets the actu- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ating mechanism to efiect entry of a selected value selecting and differential actuating mechvalue into the accumulator. anisrns, as viewed from the right; Means are provided to lock the selecting mech- Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view of the anism in set position 50 th ev n thou h t e means for locking the regitser drive gears in a depressed key i inadvertently released or ancentralized position, as viewed from the right;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of the means for locking the value selecting mechanism, as viewed from the right;

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of the acother key is depressed during a calculation, the

selection will remain fixed until the actuation is completed.

In each order of the machine, and keyed to a shaft 29, is a cam 40 (Figure 3) which is in the plan of tips 4i and 42 of a pawl 45, one of which is also provided in each order and each of which has a lateral extension 46 formed on the downwardly extending arm thereof. When shaft 29 is rocked clockwise, as hereinafter described, the cam 40 engages the tip M and rocks the pawl 45 counter-clockwise until the lateral extension 46 seats between the teeth I! of the selection sector I5, thus locking the selecting mechanism.

Each end of pinion rods I to 8 (Figure 1) is turned down to form bearings I'I adjacent the opposite ends thereof which are received'in cam slots 2| in two end plates 20 rockable about shaft I4 as a center. Parts of th pinion rods ,4 and 5 are shown as cut away in Figure 1, to make it clear that when the plate is rocked clockwise, the edges of th slots 2| cam the pinion rods I to Q radially toward shaft 14, said rods being guided in their movement by radial slots I 8 .in a stationary plate I9. In this manner one of the pinion rods is enmeshed with each of the set gears I5 and a driving connection is established to a gear 30 in each orderithrough sun gears 21 in each order, which are rotatably mounted on shaft I4, and mesh with gears 28 rotatable on a shaft 29 and secured to the respective drive gears 30.

The rocking of plate 20 for this purpos is effected concurrently with the lowering and raising of the dipping carriag which supports the accumulator, and since themechanism for effecting such movements of the dipping carriage is described in detail in the aforesaid Avery patent, no detailed description thereof need be given here. In general, the dipping carriage comprises a series of plates 266 pivotally mounted on a shaft 262 fixed in the carriage, and connected at their opposite end by a bail 269. Cross shafts supported in the plates 2B5 carry the accumulator register mechanism comprising numeral wheels 219 with their drive ears 213 which mesh with intermediate drive gears 2 adapted to mesh with gears 30 of the actuating mechanism when plates 28B are rocked clockwise about shaft 262.

Bail 259 is engaged by rollers 558 mounted on carriage dipping links 566 which are guided for vertical movement by studs 581' and reciprocated by the mechanisms described in detail in the aforesaid Avery patent, to enmesh gears 2H and 30 in each order before the actuating mechan sm is operated. and to demesh said gears after the actuating mechanism has been arrested. For the purpose of effecting the above described radial movements of the pinion rods I to 9 concurrently with the dipping and raising of the dipping carriage, a cross shaft 211s extended between the l nks 586 which are disposed adjacent opposite sides of the machine, and aslot 22 in each plate 20 embraces said shaft. the arrangement bein such that when gears 2H are moved into mesh with gears 30, the p'inions rods l to 9 will be moved radially toward shaft I 4, and vice versa.

cyclically operated means are provided to rotate the several inion rods I to 9, inclusive, different amounts during each cycle, whereby entry of values from 1 to 9 may be effected. Obv ously a great many systems of gear ratios can be devised, but the one found most readily adaptable to the Marchan calculating machine is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 'I.

Mounted on the Pinion rod I is a twenty tooth gear 86 which is connected to the eight tooth pinion rod 14 by an idler 56, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, the ten tooth rod I will rotate an angular distance -of one tooth.

The pinion rod 2 has ten teeth and is connected to the eight tooth pinion rod I4 by an idler 5!. the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, rod 2 will rotate an angular distance of two teeth.

Mounted on the pinion rod 3 is a twenty tooth gear 61 which is connected to a twenty-four tooth gear 52 on rod I4 by an idler 51, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, the ten tooth rod 3 will rotate an angular distance of three teeth.

Mounted on the pinion rod 4 is a twenty tooth gear 68 which is connected to a thirtytwo tooth gear 55 on rod I4 by an idler 62, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, the ten tooth rod 4 will rotate an angular distance of four teeth.

Mounted'on the pinion rod 5 is an eighteen tooth gear 69 which is connected to a thirty-six tooth gear 53 on rod I4 by an idler 58, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, the ten tooth rod 5 will rotate an angular distance of five teeth.

The pinion rod 6 has ten teeth and is connected to the twenty-four tooth gear 52 on rod I4 by an idler 63, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4 the ten tooth rod 6 will rotate an angular distance of six teeth.

The pinion rod I has ten teeth and is connected to a twenty-eight tooth gear 54 on rod I4 by an idler 59, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, rod 1 will rotate an angular distance of seven teeth.

The pinion rod 8 has ten teeth and is connected to the thirty-two tooth gear 55 on shaft I4 by an idler 64, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of the rod I4, rod 8 will rotate an angular distance of eight teeth.

The pinion rod 9 has ten teeth, and is connected to the thirty-six tooth gear 53 on rod I4 by an idler 50, the ratio being such that for each quarter turn of rod I4, rod 9 will rotate an angular distance of nine teeth.

This may be tabularly summarized as follows:

Table The gears shown in Figures 4 and 5 are separated into two figures to clarify the showing. The true lateral arrangement, however, is represented schematically in Figure 7, in which it may be seen that the drive start. with the motor 540, extends through the coupling 642, slip clutch 644, pinion 545, compound idlers 648 and 641 through gears 362, 650, and M5 to the main clutch 428 which makes a half rotation for each cycle and thence to shaft 4I9, reverse clutch 450,

and gear 50, as described more completely in the aforesaid-Avery patent. Meshing with the gear III is another gear II, having twice the number of teeth, which is splined to a pinion rod I4 serving as a driving pinion and shaft for the drive unit; and making a quarter turn for'each cycle of operation of the main clutch 428.

The operation of the actuating mechanism by main clutch 428 is effected in the manner described in detail in the aforesaid Avery patent and need not be described herein.

After the actuating cycle has terminated the pinion rods I to Sam moved outwardly so the gear I6 may be revolved to a new selection, and

the gears 2'" are raised so the carriage may be shifted laterally or the numeral wheels 219 turned to zero. This is accomplished by the mechanism described in detail in the aforesaid Avery patent which releases the latches restraining links 566 (Figure l) and allows the springs 569 to raise the links 566 and return all parts to the position shown in this figure.

To release the selection levers I5 after actuation is terminated so that a new setting can be made, shaft 29 is returned to the position shown in Figure 3, and during its movement cam 46 engages the tip4'2 of each lever 45 and rocks said lever and its tip 46 clockwise about shaft 82 and clear of the teeth of the selection levers I5.

To hold gears 2H and 30, pinion rods I to 9, and the drive train in correct alignment, additional pawls and locking devices are provided.

Gears 2'" (Figure 1) are normally held by pawls 3I9 releasable by dipping of the dipping carriage as described in the aforesaid Avery patent. Thus the gears 2' in the carriage are held in proper alignment until they are engaged with gears 30. J

Adjacent each gear 30 and keyed to shaft 29 is a second cam I (Figure 2) which lies in the plane of a pawl II, freely rockable 0n the adjacent shaft I4. When cam "I0 is in its normal position, as shown, it holds the'nose I2 of pawl II between the teeth of gear 36 to .retain gears 30, 28. 2'1, and IS in correct alignment, whereby gear 16 is held in correct osition to mesh with the pinion rods I to 9. The nose I3 of pawl II extends circumferentially of cam I0 so that it will be held by cam I0 until the very last part of the movement of shaft 29, so that the gears 2' may be partly enmeshed with gears 30 before the latter is released by pawl II.

Means are provided to lock pawls 'II in engagement with their gears 36 in all orders in which I no key I00 is depressed. Each of the selection sectors I 5 is provided with a stud on which gears I6 rotate and this stud is provided with an extension I4 (Figures 1 and 2) which is held in the position shown in Figure 2 by spring I64 when no key I09 in its order is depressed. Extension I4 (Figure 1) presses against pawl 'II holding it in engagement with gear during the rocking of shaft 29 which, by finally engaging lateral extension 46 of lever with the same selection sector I5, holds the latter locked in zero position and thus holds extension 14 locked against pawl 1| in engagement with gear 36.

Means are also provided toalign pinion rods I to 9 for engagement with gears I6 and the idler gears 56 to 64 of the drive unit. In Figures 4 and 5 the parts are shown in their operative position. After operation of the actuating mechanism is completed, however, the pinion rods are moved radially outwardly from shaft I4 and one is shown in its outward position by the dotted outline.8a (Figure 5). plate I6 is provided with nine pairs of extensions 11, one of which lies in the path of such radial A stationary ill movement of each pinion rod so that when said rods are moved outwardly, a tooth of each is engaged between the tips of a pair of the extensions 11 before it is entirely free from its respective idler, and is thus retained in correct alignment until again enmeshed with the idlers 56 to 64 and planetary gear I6 (Figure 2).

Means are also provided to align and lock and unlock the drive unit prior and subsequent to the actuating cycle. Shaft 29 is shown in Figure 5 in the position it assumes during the actuating cycle, having been rocked clockwise approximately 90 from the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3, to allow the pawl to be rocked clockwise away from the gear 55 and thus allow the drive unit shown in Figures 4 and 5 to operate. After the actuating cycle, however, the shaft 29 is rocked counter-clockwise to the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the cam 8| then rocks a pawl 86 counterclockwise about a shaft 82 until the nose 83 engages between the teeth of gear 55 and locks the entire unit, including the idlers 56 to 64, in alignment.

The mechanism for effecting the rocking movements of shaft 29, heretofore described, comprises a lever 25 (Figure 6) rockable on shaft 225 by a cam'35 on the setting clutch shaft 43I, and provided with a gear segment 226 formed on an arm thereon so that upon each cyclic operation (half rotation) of shaft 43I, lever 25 will be rocked clockwise.

Lever 25 operates shaft 29 by means comprising meshed gears 36 and 31, the latter of which is (Figure 6) fixed to shaft 29 so that upon clockwise movement of lever 2, shaft 29 will be rocked clockwise approximately The cam 35 is proportioned so that this movement will be divided into two parts: i. e., a slight clockwise movement of shaft 29, sufficient to effect engagement of the selection lock will be effected when the shaft 43I commences to rotate counter-clockwise; then shaft 29 will remain stationary until shaft 43I has nearly completed its cycle; and finally, a further clockwise movement of shaft 29, sufficient to disengage the pawls of gears 36 and the drive unit lock'pawl, will be effected during the last part of the cycle of shaft 43I.

The shaft 29 is held in the position to which it is moved in this manner by a latch 515a which corresponds in construction and mode of operation to the carriage latch 515 (Figure 1) being pivotally mounted 'on the same shaft 516 and adapted to be rocked to release the lever 25 by an arm 539a fixed to the same shaft 58I to which the releasing arm 539 for the carriage latch is fixed and provided with a similar ear 583a for engaging an extension of the latch 515a. A spring 519a maintains the latch 515a in position to engage an ear 25a on lever 25 and prevent counter-clockwise movement of said lever until latch 575a is released by the rocking of shaft 58I.

A spring 38 tensioned between the lever 25 and the machine frame tends to rock the shaft .29 counter-clockwise, and the above described movements of shaft 29 will therefore take place in reverse direction when.'the latch 515a. is

released.

As hereinbefore described, shaft 29 carries three kinds of cams for actuating separate pawling devices; cams 40 (Figure 3) for actuating the pawls for locking selection sectors I5; cams I6 (Figure 2) for actuating the pawls for locking gears and a cam 85 (Figure for actuating the pawl as for locking the drive unit. it is important that these pawling devices operate in a predetermined sequence, especially after termi nation of an actuating cycle, so as to take backlash out of the gear trains in a predetermined direction, and this may be taken care of by proper proportioning of these cams.

At the termination of an operation of the actuating mechanism, the pawl is first actuated to align and lcclr gear 55; then pawls are actuated to align and lock gears Bil; and finally pawls 369 are released so that they will engage and align gears Elli. In this way the backlash is taken out in one direction. After this is done, levers are actuated tounlock the selecting mechanism.

For this purpose, the cams 3!, ill, and are so proportioned that cam El (Figure 5) will engage and rock pawl into engagement with gear 55 during the very first part of the counter-clockwise movement of shaft 29, before cams ll? have engaged pawls ii and before the clipping carriage has begun to rise, rising of the carriage being prevented after release of latches 5'55 by the presence of the high portion of cam 598. (Figure 1) between the arm 59'? and the shaft 595, as described in the aforesaid Avery patent. Cams are so proportioned as to engage and rock pawls the very next part of this rocking movement of shaft 29, after pawl 80 has engaged gear but still before the dipping carriage has begun to rise. Thereafter th earn 586 rotates sufficiently to allow the dipping carriage to rise sufficiently to permit engagement of said pawls 319 with gears 2'5 and during the last part of the movement of shaft 26 earns '18 rock levers to unlock the selection sectors When the dipping carriage is again lowered, the operation of these parts of course takes place in the reverse order, and it will be noted that since the selection lock is made effective during the very first part of the cycle of shaft 43!, the planetary gears i5 will be definitely and properly aligned before the pinion rods l to 9 are moved into mesh with them.

lifodified embodiment As shown in the alternative construction illustrated in Figure 9, the pinion rods may be mounted on fixed axes and the selection made by rolling each planetary gear over the pinion rods to a position in which it is enmeshed with a pinion rod corresponding to the key depressed. Each pinion rod is rotated a whole number of teeth during each actuating cycle, and therefore always stops with a tooth in correct alignment to form a composite internal rack composed of the inwardly protruding teeth of the entire series of pinion rods. Each planetary gear can thus rotate on its own axis as it revolves out of mesh with one pinion rod and into mesh with the next.

The selection mechanism shown in Figure 9 is generically the same as that in the first embodiment, and comprises, in each order, ten equally into engagement with gears 3Q during,

spaced keys I00 consecutively numbered 0 to 9,

number 5, 6; '7, 8, or 9 key is depressed, the bar 333 is moved 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 increments, respectively, to the left.

These rightward or leftward movements of bar 233 efiect clockwise or counter-clockwise rocking of the segmental lever 2H1 freely mounted on shaft 231 and provided with a segment 2! l which meshes with the pinion H5. :1 check dial H2 is made integral with said pinion and is rotated therewith on shaft HI to indicate to the operator the value of the key not depressed.

Segmental lever 2i!) is provided with a second segment 213 enmeshed with a third segment 2 which is rockably mounted on shaft 2 l 5. Mounted for rotation with segment 2 is a plate M6 on which are provided planetary gears H8 and 213, and a planetary idler 220.

Teen pinion rods 200 to 263, inclusive, are located arcuately about shaft M5, the last digit of the reference numerals 200 to 209 indicating the angular advance of each of these shafts during an actuating cycle; 1. e., shaft 200 is stationary, pinion rod 21H rotates one tooth per actuating cycle, pinion rod 202 two teeth, et cetera. A sun gear 22! mounted on shaft 2|, meshes with planetary. gear 220 and has a. pitch radius equal to half the radius of an are drawn tangent to the pitch circle of gears 2I3 and 20! to 209; and furthermore, planetary gears M3 and 2|! constitute a two-to-one compound ratio. From this it will be seen that when the planetary gear 2! 8 revolves about shaft 2l5, this movement is compensated by rotation on its own axis in the opposite direction, and can be traced as 101- lows: if a number 5 to number 9 key is depressed, the plate 2l5 is rocked counter-clockwise, the gear 220 is rotated counter-clockwise as it revolves about sun gear 22!, and gears 2|! and 2H rotate clockwise as they revolve about shaft M5 in a counter-clockwise direction.

Pawllng devices substantially similar to those illustrated and described in connection with the first described embodiment are provided but not shown in Figure 9. Selection locking is eflected by a. lever 23! pivotally mounted on a shaft 232 and provided with a roller 233 adapted to enter aligning notches 234 on the selection sector 2| when the lever 23! is rocked, against the tension of spring 235, by a roller 23la on lever 510.

The pinion rods 2M to 209 are driven amounts proportional to the digits 1 to 9 by a suitable unit fundamentally the same as that shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the first embodiment. The drive is transmitted from the pinion rods through gears-H8, 2l8, 220, 22l, to compound idler-s 222, 223, which drive the accumulator register in the same manner as described in the aforementioned Avery patent, the gear 223 corresponding to the gear I89 of said patent.

As described in the aforesaid Avery patent, the keys I00 are released during a setting clutch cycle. Therefore, means are provided to return said segmental lever 2H) and plate 2l8 to a. zero position after actuation is completed. As described hereinbefore, the selection lock is released after termination of the operation of the actuating mechanism. A spring I50, tensioned between a stud I52 attached to the segmental lever 2M and a stationary stud l5l, tends to maintain stud I52 in alignment with shaft I31 and stud lil, but when the buand lever 2) have been moved only one or two increments in either direction the effect of spring I is not suflicient to insure return of the part to zero. Therefore, a lever I is pivoted on shaft l4! and provided with a stud I56 which is adapted to engage the camming surfaces I51. A spring I56 is tensioned' between stud I56 and I31 so that when the lever III! is rocked only slightly in either direction, the spring I58 urges the stud I56 against ber and movable thereby to any of a series of positions in which its center lies on a radius of one of the camming surfaces I'I to effect a return of the setting mechanism to zero.

To prevent stud I56 from restraining segmental lever I20 during the initial part of the setting, the lock bar III, as described in the aforesaid Avery patent, is moved rearwardly during the first part of the key depression, and in so doing engages the arm I59, thereby rocking the lever I55 counter-clockwise to render the segmental lever Zlil free from the restraint of stud I56.

The spacing of the pinion rods preferably is compressed to the extent shown in Figure 9 to minimize the movement of the planetary gear 2l6 during setting, but Figure 8 shows that the driving parts of the pinion rods are staggered and very narrow, to avoid interference. Although the parts 2llI, 202, 203, et cetera, are shown in this embodiment as pinion rods which are turned down in sections, it is obvious that they could be merely spur gears keyed to a shaft and located by spacers.

Since other modifications in the embodiment disclosed herein will occur at once to those skilled in the art, the invention is not to be considered as restrictedto the embodiments shown and described except as required by the prior art and by the spirit of I claim:

1. In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combinationi ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts in the same direction, each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving the appended claims.

means in full cycle position, means for connecting any one of the ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said'ordi- .nally arranged actuating gears including ordinally arranged selection gears meshing with said actuating gears respectively and each orbitally movable about the rotational axis of one of said actuating ears at the center of the circle intersected by the axis of said shafts into radial alignment selectively with one of said ordinally arranged gear on said shafts, and means for' preventing rotational movement of said actuating gears during orbital movement of said selection gears.

2. In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersaid circle intersecting the axis of one of said shafts, a central gear rotatably mounted centrally of said circle, means for transmitting rotational movement of said orbitally movable gear through said central gear to one of said actuating gears, and means for preventing rotational movement of said actuator gears during orbital movement of said selection gears.

3. I a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination;. ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with any three of their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts in the same direction, each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, means for connecting any one of said shafts with each of said actuating gears including a member in each order movable about the center of said circle and selectively settable into driving engagement with a gear on any one of said shafts, and means for rendering said member ineffective to move said actuating gear upon movement of said member from a position to be driven by any one of said shaft gears to a position to be driven by any other of said shaft gears. i,

4. In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts each at a different rate, ordinally arranged means for connecting any one of said shafts with each of said actuating gears including, in each order, a selection member pivotally mounted centrally of said circle, an orbitally movable gear rotatably mounted on said member and movable thereby in mesh with the gears on said shafts to a series of positions, a central gear rotatively mounted centrally of said circle, means for transmitting rotational movement of said orbitally movable gear through said central gear to one of said actuating gears, and means responsive to pivotal movement of said selection member for compensating the rotational movement of said orbitally movable gear' I mission of such rotational movement to said central gear.

' 5. In a. calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, and means for connecting any one of said I ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said actuating gears including ordinally arranged selection gears each orbitally movable within the circle'intersected by the axes of said shafts, and means for moving said shafts radially in respect to said common circle to bring the ordinally arranged gears thereon into mesh with said selection gears.

6. In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, ordinally arranged means for connecting any one of said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said actuating gears including, in each order, a selection member pivotally mounted centrally of said circle, an orbitally movable gear rotatably mounted on said member and movable thereby to any of a series of positions in which its center lies on a radius of said circle intersecting the axis of one of said shafts, and a central gear rotatably mounted centrally of said circle and effective to transmit rotational movement of said orbitally movable gear to one of said actuating gears; means for moving said shafts radially with respect to said common circle to bring the ordinally arranged gears thereon into mesh with said orbitally movable gears.

7. In a calculating machine having ordinarily arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, means for moving said shafts radial- 1y with respect to said common circle, cyclically operable means for driving saidshafts each at a difierent rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, means for connecting any one of said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said actuating gears including ordinally arranged selection gears each orbitally movable within the circle intersected by the axes of said shafts, and means for first actuating the aforesaid mean for moving said shafts radially of said circle to effect driving engagements between said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts and said selection gears and for thereafter actuating the aforesaid cyclically operable means for driving said shafts.

In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a 'series ofparallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, a plurality of fixed supporting plates for said shafts having slots embracing said shafts and extending radially of said circle, a plurality of movable plates rockable about the center of said circle and having slots embracing said shafts and extending angularly with respect to the slots in said fixed plates, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, means for connecting any one of said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said actuating gears including ordinally arranged selection gears each orbitally movable within the circle intersected by the axes of said shafts, and means for first rocking said movable plates to move said shafts radially of said circle and effect driving engagements between said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts and said selection gears, and for thereafter actuating the cyclically operable means for driving said shafts.

9. In a calculating machine having ordinally arranged registering mechanism, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; ordinally arranged gears for actuating said registering mechanism, a series of parallel shafts arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, ordinally arranged gears on said shafts, a plurality of fixed supporting plates for said shafts having slots embracing said shafts and extending radially of said circle, a plurality of movable plates rockable about the center of said circle and having slots embracing said shafts and extending angularly with respect to the slots in said fixed plates, cyclically operable means for driving said shafts each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, ordinally arranged means for connecting any one of said ordinally arranged gears on said shafts with a corresponding one of said actuating gears including, in each order, a selection member pivotally mounted centrally of said circle, an orbitally movable gear rotatably mounted on said member and movable thereby to any of a series of positions in which its center lies on a redius of said circle intersecting the axis of one of said shafts, and a central gear rotatably mounted centrally of said circle and effective to transmit rotational movement of said orbitally movable gear to one of said actuating gears; and means for first rocking said movable plates to move said shafts radially of said circle and effect driving engagements between said ordinally arranged gears on saidshafts and said selection gears, and for thereafter actuating the cyclically operable means for driving said shafts.

10. In a calculating machine, a settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; an actuating gear, a series of transmission gears arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, cyclically operable means for driving said transmission gears in the same direction, each at a different rate, means for arresting aid driving means in full cycle position,

. means for connecting any one of said transmission gears with said actuating gear including a selection gear orbitally movable within the circle intersected by the axes of said transmission gears and means for rendering said selection gear ineffective to move said actuating gear upon orbital movement of said selection gear from a position to be driven by any one of said transmission gears to a position to be driven by any other of said transmission gears.

11. In a calculating machine, a. settable differential actuating mechanism comprising, in combination; an actuating gear, a series of transmission gears arranged with their axes intersecting a common circle, means for moving said transmission gears radially with respect to said common circle, cyclically operable means for driving said transmission gears, each at a different rate, means for arresting said driving means in full cycle position, and means for connecting any one of said transmission gears with said actuating gear including a selection gear orbitally movable within the circle intersected by the axes of said transmission gears.

- ROBERT E. BOYDEN. 

